Sports Ministry suspends recognition to the IABF

NEW DELHI: Close on the heels of International Boxing Association provisionally suspending the Indian Federation, the Sports Ministry also suspended recognition to the IABF, citing "flawed and faulty" elections.

This was announced by the Sports Minister Jitendra Singh, who said the IABF election held in September were in "violation of the procedure laid down in the Sports Code."

"IABF has been suspended primarily on grounds that elections were flawed and faulty and the nomination time given was very less. When the nomination did not come in, people were just picked from the house. We have given them 15 days time to confirm that they would hold a re-election," said the Minister.

The September elections saw incumbent President Abhay Sinhg Chautala being made the nominated chairman, replaced by his brother-in-law and BJP MLA from Rajasthan Abhishek Matoria, 29, as President.

The Ministry listed the flaws in the election in a detailed statement.

"The publication of the electoral roll was flawed because it was not possible for the electoral roll to be dispatched to members by post prior to the last date for filing of nominations and merely publishing on the website is not considered sufficient notice or information to all members," it said.